Our Cape York and Gulf Country Adventure

[pradogang Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close pradogang]

It is only September but the heat has come early this year. The air conditioning in the Prado was most welcome.



The is a café in Hughenden that is well worth a visit, especially if you like Holdens.


Still heading east our next stop was Charters Towers. After the drought conditions of the western plains it was good to see some greenery.


It was good to cool down in the pool. Charters Towers has a lot of old buildings that have been preserved and it is well worth having a look around.

[pradogang Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close pradogang]

From Charters Towers we travelled south to Emerald via Clermont, staying at Lake Maraboon. Next day we travelled via Biloela to Mundubbera staying at the Three Rivers Caravan Park. It was good to be home in the Redlands after 37 days of travel.
Some statistics:
Distance travelled: 8 761km
Fuel: 1210L
Consumption: 13.81km/100L
Oil consumption: nil
Coolant: nil
Repairs/spare parts: 1X rubber bung $5 (from the wreckers) Replaced the rubber lining inside the front guards with some 3mm rubber from Clark Rubber $15
Tyres: No punctures (Coopers AT3's)
Pressure in the rear polyairs: 28
Tyre Pressures: Bitumen 38/40
Battlecamp Road, PDR, 30/32
OTT:20/22
Nolans: 16/16
Bamaga Road (OTT northern exit to Loyalty beach northwards) 20/22
(Jardine River Ferry to Bramwell Junction southwards) 20/22

Most comfortable speed over the corrugations: 70-75kph
Most comfortable speed on the good dirt roads: 80-90kph
Most comfortable speed on the bitumen: 95-100kph (Big increase in fuel consumption when going 100+kph)

Some observations: Take your time there is so much to see.
AJ's side steps/sliders are worth every cent. They saved the side of the car from being damaged on two occasions and are so much better to stand on when packing the roof rack than the plastic ones.
The Waeco CFX 40L was used as the freezer (-14) for the whole trip and didn't miss a beat.
Rhino rooftop bag was very good, no dust inside.
Let your wife take her hair dryer, it is a great way to dry the carpet and underfelt!
Be flexible with your plans, unexpected things happen.

I was very pleased with the performance of the Prado, it was comfortable, reliable, handled all the Cape had to offer and got us home safe and sound! It doesn't have any squeaks or rattles, just red dust which is still coming out. Can't wait for the GTG in the high country.

[Steve M Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Steve M]

Mate gotta be happy with economy !!! Brilliant I reckon.......Cheers Steve

[Palmer Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Palmer]

Really enjoyed the read.
The Cooper AT3's suprised me - not the fact they made it through without a puncture, but that they had enough traction for the OTT (I haven't been there yet, but assumed that would need more aggressive tyres). Our AT3's have not let us down, but I also haven't hit major mud either.

[pradogang Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close pradogang]

We didn't encounter serious mud anywhere on the OTT. It wasn't much of a wet season and we were travelling late in the "season."

[juc33_prado Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close juc33_prado]

great read guys! sounded like an excellent trip!

[JCG Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close JCG]

It didn't take long to decide that we wouldn't be camping at Coen. The smell from the toilet was enough for the ladies to decide that the Archer River Roadhouse was a place to consider.

Our good luck with the road conditions continued, only very mild corrugations occasionally.
Couldn't help but notice how dry the country was, the "wet" wasn't very big this year.



We arrived at the Archer River Roadhouse, tucked in for their burgers and then the bloody wind that had been stalking us since Cooktown arrived. The campground looked good but the dust was blowing and the decision was made to press on to Weipa.



A few more corrugations but the Prado was handling it so well, but you do have to be careful!

I know exactly what you mean about that toilet. To be avoided at all cost.

[Travelman1 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Travelman1]

A great report pradogang. We did the Cape trip in 2008 (the report's on Pradopoint somewhere) and your observations brought back many happy memories. And we hope to repeat it in the not too distant future too.
It sure is sad to see those small schools close up, and the move of Year 7 to secondary will only make more of them unviable.
You're right about Western Queensland being in drought conditions. We've just come back from a trip to Uluru through the Isa and across the Flinders Highway. I didn't appreciate how bad things were - we saw no water in creeks or rivers, no livestock and no roos from Cloncurry through to Ayr. Here's hoping the next wet season is a better one up north.
Cheers
Travelman1